The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week has been a strategic momentum between COP27 and COP28, able to create impactful dialogue between all global stakeholders on practical, pro-climate, pro-growth solutions for a net-zero future.
Through inclusive debates, held in Masdar last January, ADSW 2023 provided an opportunity for the global community to turn ambition into action, by forging partnerships and launching technologies to accelerate sustainable development around the world.
Such an event inspired Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, to announce that 2023 will be the "Year of Sustainability", with several initiatives, activities and events that draw upon the UAE's deep-rooted values of sustainability and the legacy of its founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
In this year UAE aims to showcase their commitment towards fostering a global collaboration in seeking innovative solutions to challenges, such as energy, climate change and other pressing issues related to sustainability.
The President of UAE stated that the country is determined for COP28 to set a precedent in the collective global efforts to address climate change. His vision is being instrumental to the country's regional and global leadership in climate action and its role as a global advocate for clean energy.
Over the last 15 years, the UAE has invested a total of $50 billion in renewable energy and clean tech globally and plans to invest another $50 billion in the years ahead. The hope is that COP28 will transform systems and accelerate 2030 trajectories through game-changing partnerships, solutions and outcomes.
For over 15 years, ADSW has reinforced the UAE’s commitment to addressing global challenges as a responsible leader on climate action, energy transition and sustainable economic development. Through impactful and inclusive dialogue, ADSW 2023 created the space to turn ambition into action, to help to transform pledges into practical outcomes and forged partnerships, committing investment and launched technologies and solutions that accelerate sustainable development around the world.
Main speaker at ADSW was the COP28 new President-Designate, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Chairman of Masdar, Sultan Al Jaber, in the presence of heads of State, ministers and ambassadors.
Al Jaber has played a key role in shaping the country’s clean energy path. He said this will be a “critical year in a critical decade for climate action. The UAE is approaching COP28 with a strong sense of responsibility and the highest possible level of ambition”. So: “COP28 will undertake the first ever Global Stocktake (GST) since the Paris Agreement. The GST will provide the foundation to build momentum for this and future COPs and the UAE will look for an ambitious outcome in response to the GST from the negotiation process. This will be a critical moment to mobilize, political will to respond to what the science tells us will need to be achieved to remain on target and limit global warming to 1.5 °C by 2050.”
ADSW 2023 features a series of key events throughout the week that seek to engage all sections of society, with a focus on youth for climate change and women's commitments in creating a better world conditions for the next generations.
As part of the United Arab Emirates’ long-term vision and commitment to social, economic and environmental sustainability, Abu Dhabi established Masdar almost 20 years ago -in 2006- to support the diversification of the country by advancing global renewable energy and sustainable technologies.
In order to accelerate global collaboration and sustainability around the world, Abu Dhabi formed ADSW, hosted by Masdar, with a specific focus on delivering action across three principles: Global Collaboration & Leadership, Economic Development, and Technology & Innovation.
Masdar means “source” in Arabic, is the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, a global leader in renewable energy and sustainable development. They aim to help maintain the leadership of the United Arab Emirates in the global energy sector while supporting the diversification of both its economy and energy sources for the benefit of future generations. Masdar is developing utility-scale renewable energy projects around the world, advancing innovation in clean technologies, and adopting a smart first-mover approach in green hydrogen.
So, UAE is making intensive efforts to find feasible and pragmatic solutions to climate change issues, Sheikh Mohamed said, stressing that its strategic initiative to achieve Net Zero by 2050 was a natural progression of the comprehensive approach to sustainability the company has followed since its inception, inspired by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s vision. The UAE’s founding father laid the groundwork for building a prosperous and sustainable future through this commitment to protecting nature and preserving the environment. The pathway to COP28 is now designed.